By Robbie Ross
SouthernPigskin.com

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In Watson’s hometown of Gainesville, GA, a city usually filled with red and white, there is orange everywhere.

Clemson Quarterback Deshaun Watson has set the nation on fire over the past three seasons with his play for the Tigers, leading them to back-to-back College Football Playoff Finals. In his hometown of Gainesville, Georgia, a city usually filled with red and white thanks to the school’s mascot being the Red Elephants, there is orange everywhere per Deshauns high school coach Bruce Miller, who has been out of town at a coaching clinic, x9cfrom what I understand theres a lot of orange around town today.x9d Miller noted the difference between Watson this year and Watson last year, x9cHes just matured so much, learning how to handle all the stuff that comes at him, he just handles all of it like a pro.x9d Watson led Miller and Gainesville High School to its only State Championship as a Junior in 2012.

Gainesville, traditionally a UGA town being only 35 miles from Athens, has become a Clemson town at least for a little while. x9cAll I know is, I think the whole town wants Clemson to win- even die hard SEC fans- because they want to see Deshaun win a national championship. The Rock is painted orange again.x9d The x9cRockx9d that B.J. Williams, News Director for WDUN AM and FM radio stations mentioned, has been used by Gainesville High School since it was unearthed during road construction since 1967 to paint spirit messages for sports teams, along with birthday messages and other messages of well wishes.

Jeff Stowe, District 4 representative on the Hall County Commission, says the reach of Deshaun has gone beyond the usual strong school rivalries among schools in the county. x9cI think everyone in Hall County, whether you went to Gainesville High or another county school, whether youre a sports fan or not is pulling for Deshaun and the Tigers. While the GHS alumni bleed red, tonight it will be orange.x9d Several area restaurants in Gainesville will have viewing parties for the National Championship game tonight including Wild Wing Cafxc3xa9, Mellow Mushroom, Locos and local favorite Poor Richards. Katie B. Davis, host of Game On with Katie B. Davis on 1240 ESPN Radio, a three-hour daily sports show based in Gainesville echoed Stowes sentiments. x9cProbably the best way to describe the citys support of Deshaun comes in the fact that today, tonight, nobody is going to chastise you for wearing orange. Were in the heart of Bulldog country, and Red Elephant country for that matter; red and black runs deep, tonight serves as permission to deviate. From Longstreet Cafxc3xa9 in Gainesville to ProTouch Landscapes in North Hall, everyone is supporting Deshaun, its an orange-out!x9d

Deshaun Watsons legacy will be a lasting one, long after a win or a loss tonight against Alabama. Williams said that there have been some rumblings among members in the community to name a street after Watson. The proposal was submitted to the Gainesville Planning and Appeals Board in December to rename Touchdown Drive on the Gainesville High School campus to Deshaun Watson Drive. Deshaun Watson Drive would lead current and future Red Elephants to the practice field where Watson got his start, and tonight he will close the Clemson chapter of his life with or without a National Title as Gainesvilles proudest son.